A/N: Well, here we have it. Don't really know where I got the inspiration for this oneshot. Or rather, this…uh…conglomeration of oneshots on a single page. -_-' But I consider this character to be a very underappreciated one, all the same. It's just my little tribute, I guess.

Spoilerwise, well…I suppose most of this has some traces of spoiler engraved for those brand-new to the series, especially in Snippet number two. Except maybe for Snippet number four, which isn't really related to anything in particular. However, if that doesn't really matter to you, then by all means continue onwards. :)

Let it be noted that this is based towards the animation, with little dabs of the gameverse showing through here and there, especially in Snippet number five. In addition, it goes in no particular chronological order, and therefore should not be considered to do such.

But other than that…enjoy! :D

The ringing of the doorbell was the only thing that succeeded in pulling Haruka Hikari from her cooking trance.

Having been in the process of readying the kettle of tea on the stove, she nearly jumped as the cheerful, two-note chime filled the air, though that wouldn't have been a very good idea with a vassal of boiling liquid so near at hand. Instead she settled with a small blink of surprise, pausing a moment to retrieve her bearings before hastily turning down the burner and freeing her hand from the kitchen towel she had wrapped it in, setting that on the counter and then quickly heading for the door.

She didn't know why, but something about the warm scent of freshly-baked cookies always seemed to slow down her uptake of the world somehow, throwing her in a sort of pleasant limbo before something decided to interrupt.

Though fortunately she managed to banish such musings and put on a friendly smile instead as she pulled open the door.

On the other side was a woman who looked like she might be in her very early twenties, sporting a head of bright pink hair pulled into two separate ties on each side of her head. She was clad in a white and orange T-shirt bearing a circular logo filled with several black-and-white triangular slices, and wore dark jeans - both of which were coupled with the dark blue eyeliner and pink lipstick that adorned her features. The only true oddities consisted of the large white cap she had on her head, which was quite out of place with the rest of her wardrobe, and the Styrofoam container she had resting comfortably in the crook of one arm. She was biting her lip, her attention currently on a notepad placed precariously on top of the container, upon which she was writing something down with a pen, while at the same time managing to keep from dropping both items - which was a rather commendable ability in itself.

Haruka took it all in stride - though slightly surprised, she didn't let that put a damper on hospitality.

"Why hello there," she greeted brightly, and the woman immediately looked up, as though just realizing the door had opened for the first time. "Is there something you need, miss?"

"Oh! I mean, uh, yeah." The woman stared back at Haruka for a moment, a mixture of expressions flashing across her features - mainly surprise. Obviously she hadn't been expecting to see Haruka at the door either. And then, as though suddenly remembering something, the insecurity vanished almost instantly. "The name's Maddy. I'm an employee of the Maha Ichiban - erm - y'know, the curry shop down the road." She gesticulated vaguely, the effect further weakened by the burden of the items she carried. "Anyway, I've got an order here to be delivered to one Lan Hikari. He around here somewhere?"

"Lan? Oh, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid he left just a few minutes ago." Haruka smiled apologetically. "Said something about an urgent meeting with a friend before taking off. I almost wasn't able to tell him to be back by three." She sighed. "And he certainly didn't say anything about an order arriving here from a curry shop. That boy…I'm terribly sorry."

Maddy didn't look too happy about this either. A small frown tugged the corners of her mouth, and she shifted the container on her arm as it began to tilt precariously sideways. "Well, that's great and all, miss, but I can't just hang around waiting till three in the afternoon. I've got a tight schedule to keep here. And this thing still needs to be paid for."

"I see…" Haruka frowned as well for a moment, thoughtful, before suddenly nodding her head in resolution. "Well then, I'm sure I'll be able to handle the payment until Lan comes back. That'll probably solve the main problem. Though I'm afraid my purse in inside the house." She paused, almost left to fetch it, but then turned back at the last second, laughing. "Oh, but where are my manners?" She gave Maddy another smile. "Would you like to come in, Ms. Maddy? I've got some cookies that have just finished baking, and I'm sure the tea will be about ready by now."

Again that same, insecure expression flashed across the young woman's features. Surprise and…was that trepidation?

"Uh, well, I don't know about that, miss. I've got places to be and people to meet -"

"Oh, nonsense, it won't take that long. Just until I can find my wallet, and then you're free to go. Think of it as compensation for the antics of my son." Haruka stepped back and opened the door wider. "Come right on in."

Maddy hesitated a little further, but it wasn't exactly like she could decline the offer and still be polite at the same time, as often seemed the case, Haruka reflected. After a pause, the woman nodded, if not rather stiffly. "Well, alright then. Guess I can take a moment or two and take off this ugly hat, anyway. Lead the way."

And thus, minutes later, the mother of Lan Hikari and a previous advocate of World Three could be found sitting across from each other at a kitchen table, eating chocolate-chip cookies and drinking tea fresh from the kettle.

As Haruka proceeded to dig around in her purse for her wallet, she couldn't help but notice the way Maddy at first eyed the dish of cookies placed on the center of the table with some sort of subtle suspicion before taking up a round disk of baked goodness and indulging in a tiny bite, as though expecting it to be poisoned or worse. There was another small flicker of surprise as she chewed slowly, paused, and then took a larger bite, almost seemingly against her better judgment. Soon enough she was on her second cookie, and then a third, periodically taking sips of cooling tea along the way.

The spectacle was almost amusing, really.

And, for some reason, her wallet was still nowhere to be found.

Haruka dug around a little deeper in her purse, absently striking up conversation out of plain habit.

"I see you like the cookies," she remarked as Maddy pounced on a fourth, albeit with clear half-restrained reservations.

"Mm…" The woman swallowed. "Well, they are pretty good. I haven't had stuff this good for awhile, actually."

Haruka smiled in return. "That's good to know. I don't get outside opinions too much when it comes to those - mainly it's just Lan, and he inhales five at a time most days. As one might imagine, it's hard to get a proper evaluation out of him."

"I guess that's true…" Maddy replied slowly. Haruka noticed she had paused halfway through her fifth cookie and was staring at her again, with that same strange expression. "So…you're Lan Hikari's mother, then?"

"That's right." Ah there you go - oh, wait, no, that wasn't it. Haruka's hand meandered to the other internal corner of her purse. "Word seems to get around fast here. I see you know Lan, to some extent. A friend of his, maybe?" And here she looked up, one eyebrow raised in question.

Maddy blinked, her chewing ceasing very abruptly. After staring with an unfathomable expression on her face for several seconds, she seemed to regain her bearings somewhat, swallowing her mouthful and then laughing.

Haruka noted that it was a very strange, almost strangled laugh. Well, not strangled, but…half-hearted, maybe. She couldn't quite place the proper word on it.

"Yeah. Well…sure. I don't know. Not…quite that way. Guess you could say we've come to a truce, or something."

She hadn't expected that. Haruka paused again. "Truce?"

And now she was most definitely sure that was alarm dawning on Maddy's features.

"Never mind. It's…nah, just never mind." She abruptly downed the rest of the tea in one huge gulp, clearly wincing as it burned its way down her throat. "Not important. Anyway, have you found that wallet? I think it's about time I got going, much as I'd like to stick around…"

"Well, no, actually. For some reason it doesn't seem to be inside…oh, wait a minute. Ah! There we are." Fingers curling around familiar leather, she finally pulled it from her handbag. "How much will it be, then?"

"Just gimme a sec here, I'll find it…" Grabbing the notebook off the top of the container she'd set on the table beside her elbow, Maddy flipped a couple of pages and then tore out a sheet. "Yeah, that'll be eight dollars and thirty-seven cents, tip included."

"Right…here we are, then."

"Thanks, miss. Here's the receipt and package, and I'm off. Nice meeting ya."

Haruka watched as Maddy rose to her feet, grabbing the cap she'd placed next to the container and donning it with the slightest fraction of hesitation.

"It was nice meeting you as well, Ms. Maddy. I hope we see each other again sometime. You're welcome to drop by this household anytime if you feel the need." Haruka smiled. "Mind if I show you to the door?"

"Oh, no, miss, I think I'll be able to find my way out just fine." Maddy nodded. "Uh…anyway, thanks for the cookies and…all that…"

"Not a problem."

Watching as the young woman then hastily took her leave from the kitchen and step through the door seconds later, Haruka then sat back in her chair, zipping her purse shut and then delicately plucking a cookie from the now very empty dish. She'd have to bake some more soon, for Lan - not that she really minded in the least.

"Hm…such a strange girl."

She chewed absently, then took a sip of tea.

Lan seemed to be making so many new friends lately.

She couldn't sleep.

Haruka really tried, in all honesty. She went to bed early, made the covers as comfortable as was possible, wrapped herself in a cocoon of absolute warmth, closed her eyes, and tried with all her might to banish all matter of thought and worry.

And yet…

She couldn't sleep.

She just…couldn't.

That was not good.

At length she finally sighed, opened her eyes, and stared mournfully at the dark ceiling above her head. She didn't know how much more of this she could take.

MegaMan was gone.

She'd seen it all, the way he had been so brutally deleted - everyone in the world had. The television reporters had been quite tenacious about capturing every moment of the N-1 Grand Prix, to the last heart-wrenching finale. But it felt as if only she could possibly conceive the tiniest fraction of just what this meant, for the world.

For Lan.

MegaMan was gone.

An involuntary shiver coursed through her, even despite the warmth of the comforter she had taken refuge within, and she turned over and curled up on her side, though that did nothing whatsoever.

She had been there for Lan, when he had finally come home. She had hugged him, let him sob into her arms, and held him close, shielded for a moment from the world, assuring him again and again that everything would be alright, even though she had no idea as to how that was supposed happen. And she knew that hadn't been nearly enough. That Lan needed something more than what she could give, now.

And perhaps that explained why she felt so helpless. So afraid.

Because MegaMan was gone, and Lan…wasn't Lan anymore.

He didn't eat, hardly slept, woke up too early in the mornings when he should have always been late. He was tired, listless, optimism completely gone, resilient to the comfort everyone kept trying to give him. He was an empty shell, a distant echo of the son she had known and loved.

She had tried her best not to let her misgivings show, to remain optimistic in the presence of others for the sake of morale, but she knew all that melted away as soon as the day ended and Lan returned to fitful, weary dreams. For in truth, Haruka was afraid. Afraid that, if something wasn't done, she would lose her only son forever.

It was a deep-rooted fear, one that had been gnawing the inside of her chest for these last few days, no matter how she tried to suppress it, to ignore it. And now, this night, it had come to a point where she couldn't even sleep - a task usually almost ridiculously easy for her.

Yet her restless thoughts chased circles around her head, unsolved and unanswered. She knew she had to do something, but she honestly had no idea as to what. Lan needed MegaMan - that was clear, now - but MegaMan was gone, permanently lost, as was the nature of deletion. Still, though, there just had to be some other way…some other way…

The phone rang.

Haruka opened her eyes as the loud electronic heralding filled the air, and for once she almost had half a mind to completely ignore it, before reminding herself that Lan needed all the sleep he could get, and would probably be disturbed by the noise. With a sigh she stirred and then peeled back the covers, leaning over and snatching the phone from its receiver on the bedside table before it could ring a second time. Cradling it against her ear, she tried her best to put on a chipper, cheerful voice, though it took an unusually large effort.

"Hello?"

"Haruka? Is that you?"

If she had been drinking or eating something, Haruka knew for a fact that she would have quite literally choked on it. As it was, she found herself stunned as if she'd just been whacked across the face by a sack of bricks. After a second of astonished silence, however, she forced herself to regain some control over her more basic motor functions.

"Yuuichiro?"

"Ah, so that is you on the other end!" There was a relieved laugh that puffed static in her ear. The connection obviously wasn't too good, but there was no mistaking the voice. "Had me worried for a moment there, thought I'd misplaced the number again. I must admit, though, you sound terrible. Are you alright? …Haruka?"

"…Yuuichiro…" There was a pause as she wildly tried to remember how to piece together a basic sentence. "I…what…?"

"Ah, I'm sorry. It must be quite late over there. Didn't mean to wake you up so suddenly, love." She could almost see his apologetic smile as he spoke. "I just thought I'd squeeze in a quick call on the plane before taking off, let you know about the new arrangements in advance."

"Plane?" Haruka replied blankly. Then she caught up with the rest of the sentence. "…New arrangements?"

Another laugh.

"That's right! The society's been in a bit of a turmoil recently, what with all the disturbance that's been caused by World Three, but some form of order has finally come around, and it looks like I'll be able to touch base for the first time in awhile. I'm free to go, no more tours for at least another two years. I'm on my way back as I speak! Isn't it wonderful?"

"Way back…?" Haruka paused. "…You're coming home?"

"Yes, exactly! They've already prepared a station for our group in SciLabs, only a couple of miles away from the house, so I'll be able to come back practically every night. And I tell you, I just can't wait to see you again. It's been so long…"

Haruka didn't quite hear the rest of that sentence. Her rather shell-shocked thoughts were still trying to wrap around the fact that Yuuichiro was actually going to be coming home…

He hadn't been home for two years. Two long, lonely years.

And he was finally coming back, at this time of all times…

"…and Lan as well. I'll bet he's grown so much since the last time we met, I'm almost afraid to see him again. Ah, things are going to be so different…" Yuuichiro's voice, which had been sort of rambling on pleasantly throughout this span of time, now suddenly trailed off on a rather puzzled note. "…Haruka? Haruka?"

In all honesty she didn't hear him at all. She was too busy sobbing into her free hand.

Which was a fact that didn't take Yuuichiro long to realize, hearing those sobs on the other end of the phone.

"Haruka?" he repeated in alarm. "I - Haruka, are you all right? What's wrong? …What happened? Haruka!"

It took another few seconds for her to reply. She really had no idea why she was crying at all - it had been so long since she had wept quite like this. Already she felt as though she were having a head cold, and the sobs were surprisingly powerful, racking through her entire body with unexpected force. Her tears felt very warm and wet in her palm.

Hearing her husband's concerned voice on the other end, however, she made an effort to control it, at least for a little while. It was like trying to put a hand over a running tap, but at length she managed to choke out a few words at a time.

"Oh, I - I'm so sorry, Yuuichiro. I know I ought to be ha-ppy, but - but -" As the tears fought for dominance yet again, she took a shaking breath. "I just - I don't know - oh -"

"There now, Haruka. It's…it's alright now. I'm here, I'm ready to listen, we've got all the time in the world." His voice was slightly lowered now, still concerned, but now laced with a warm comfort that only he could quite achieve. Hearing it, she could almost feel him there, sitting beside her on the edge of the bed, one hand wrapped warmly around her shoulder. "You just let it all out, now, and tell me what's wrong, little bit by little bit, alright? Take your time…I knew something was amiss over there. You never usually sound this downtrodden."

Despite everything, she just couldn't help the watery smile that crept on her features. "Everyone always did think you knew everything, genius man that you made yourself out to be," she replied thickly, swiping heavily at her eyes. Yuuichiro always seemed to know just what it took to make her feel better. Haruka hadn't realized quite how much she had missed him.

"Now that sounds more like the Haruka I know and love," his voice replied, slightly tinted with laughter. "Only one woman could wound me like that. …Feeling better?"

"Y-Yes. I think so."

"That's good." The relief was clear. "Have I missed something? You should have called me sooner, Haruka."

"I know, I know." Haruka shook her head, temporarily forgetting he couldn't see the gesture. "But you're always so busy on tour, and I know how much your work means to you, Yuuichiro…"

"Nothing means more to me than the state of my family, Haruka. You know that."

"I - I guess that's true too…" she agreed feebly. "I just…I don't know, I just didn't want to worry you…and…" she blinked a few times. "Surely you already know about it, by now…it's plastered all over the news."

Yuuichiro's tired sigh was all she really needed to hear to inform her that this was obviously not the case. She had no doubt he was running a hand through his hair right now, even as he spoke.

"Eh, then I'm afraid I probably haven't, honey. I've been on the go for weeks now, it's been one station-hop to another. Like I was saying, it took the society awhile to make up its mind about the general state of things. It's been ages since I've been able to get hold of a newspaper, let alone anything like a television set or even a bulletin. I'm probably painfully behind on the state of things on the public level."

"I see. Well…" Haruka bit her lip. How did one go about stating something like this? "…Do you at least know about that N-1 Grand Prix tournament that's been going on?"

"What, that? It's the first annual, isn't it?" He sounded mildly interested. "I heard Lan decided to participate. How did he do, by the way?"

Another slight sting of tears climbed in Haruka's throat, but she forced it back down quickly.

"I - well, that's the…problem, Yuuichiro. Lan…Yuuichiro, MegaMan was deleted at the end of that tournament."

There was a flat moment of shocked silence.

"…What?"

"I know. I…I couldn't believe it either. But the footage was all there, on television. It wasn't his opponent that had done it - nobody knows exactly what did it - but there was no denying it. And Lan…" Her throat closed for a moment. "Lan's n-not…he hasn't been the same since…"

There was another low, very slow sigh.

"My God. I…oh, Haruka…"

She closed her eyes. The tears were coming back.

"I guess I just…I just don't know what to do anymore. I feel like we're losing Lan for good, Yuuichiro. I…I just don't know…"

"Hmmm…" There was a frown adorning his features. A determined frown. Despite everything, Haruka couldn't help but just hear the gears of his mind turning. And a small, tiny little bud of hope suddenly popped up in the back of her head, completely out of place and yet incredibly familiar.

Then, as she'd almost half-expected, the words came, like some sort of miracle dropped from the heavens.

"…Well, I think I just might be able to do something…"

With a huge effort Haruka attempted to keep the bud from growing any larger for the sake of practicality. It was immensely difficult.

"Yuuichiro, you do understand that MegaMan was…well, deleted…I don't mean to sound hard, but isn't that sort of final, for a NetNavi?"

"Well, usually, yes. You're exactly right. But…I do believe there might be a way to…yes, I…there's always the possibility that -"

Haruka laughed.

It was the first time she'd actually, full-heartedly laughed for days. And suddenly all her doubts and fears were wiped away, leaving her wondering why she had been so worried and afraid in the first place.

After all, Yuuichiro was coming home.

Having cut her husband short in his musings, she quickly filled in his puzzled silence while it lasted.

"Oh, you can stop right there, Yuuichiro, I'd rather not hear any more. I know that tone of voice too well. As long as you're sure there's still something you can do…well, that's all I need to know."

"Ah. Of course. Right." She had no doubt he was blinking bemusedly. And then a grin would spread across his face… "Well. I guess this is indeed the perfect time to be getting back home after all, then, no? Seems there's a handful of things going on. Care to fill me in on any other unpleasant surprises that I might need to be aware of?"

The tears had long since dried away. Haruka smiled, her heart swelling with a happiness that she'd never thought she'd feel again.

"Oh, I'm sure there will be plenty to fill you in on once you're actually here, Yuuichiro. You have a flight right now, remember?"

"Yes, well, there's still another ten minutes to wait until they're finally done with preparations. Plenty of time to talk, right?"

"More like plenty of time to get a bit of sleep, if you ask me. From what I've gathered you probably need it." She sighed, still smiling all the same. "Let me assure you, I'm capable of waiting a few more hours."

"I guess you're right…" He sounded faintly disappointed, and she was reminded vividly of Lan. As if it weren't already possible, her heart swelled even more. "If you insist, then, I'll take a quick nap instead, much as I'd rather hear your beautiful voice for the entirety of the flight." A small laugh, and then a pause. "…I'm still glad I decided to call, though. Lan must have taken it very hard. It's been…well, it's been awhile since I've heard you cry like that, Haruka. Not since…"

He abruptly stopped, his voice trailing away before it could form the words Haruka already knew had been coming. Again, she shook her head.

"Well, it was to be expected, really. Lan and MegaMan had such a close bond. You wouldn't believe how painful it was just watching him lose his best friend like that. Ever since, Lan's been a changed boy. …But I'm sure you'll be able to bring him back, Yuuichiro. Just being here might be enough."

"Hm? You think so?"

"Lan always did seem happiest whenever you came home, even if it was only for a short while," she reminded him, smiling.

"Ah, true, true…well, that's a lot of responsibility to stew over," Yuuichiro replied jokingly. "I think it is about time I hang up, though - the steward is giving me a mindless stare that's not really sitting too well with me." He laughed again - a rather sheepish laugh. "So I guess this'll be the end of our conversation, Haruka, much as I'd rather not. I'll be over there before you know it. Tell Lan to hang in there just a little longer." A pause, followed by some shuffling sounds. "Ehm - the steward's coming this way. Gotta go. I love you, Haruka."

Haruka smiled again, and even though she knew he couldn't see it, he'd probably already be imagining it. They both had an odd habit of doing that.

"I love you too, Yuuichiro. Take care. Oh, and don't leave your suitcase in the luggage rack like you did last time, okay?"

"I'll try my best not to, love. Goodness knows we don't need something like that happening again. The customs officials were clinging to it like rabid crabs last time, weren't they? Oh, here comes the steward - ah, he's got death written in his eyes, that's not good - um - goodnight, love!"

There was a click.

And Haruka sat back on the covers, the now-silent phone still in her hand.

She gazed at it absently for few minutes, and then shook herself out of her reverie, returning it to its charger and properly tucking herself back into the bed, drawing the covers close once more. Again she was left staring at the dark ceiling, waiting for sleep to take hold. Though, unlike last time, the desolate helplessness from mere minutes ago was all but gone, instead replaced by that little bud of hope, a bud that had now swelled despite her previous misgivings, and was on the verge of blooming into a bright flower of joy.

Or perhaps it already had. The warm talisman in her heart, a talisman lit anew by the voice of her husband, could only be described as just that - joy.

Because Yuuichiro was coming home. And there was a chance that MegaMan could be brought back - which meant that the old Lan might, just might, return as well.

Everything was going to be alright after all.

But even as these thoughts meandered about, Haruka's eyelids slowly began to droop and grow heavy, and the dark ceiling darkened even more, until she couldn't see it at all.

And thus it was that sleep reclaimed its rightful place at last.

Of all the things she had expected to find on the television, it most certainly hadn't been this.

Maybe a quick glimpse of the news. A movie being put on encore. Some snips of last-minute sports scores, perhaps.

Not this.

The red glare of the Navi looming on the plasma screen pinned her flat against the couch and all but rendered her paralyzed.

The hairs on the back of Haruka's neck began to rise as there was a resounding click, practically every lock on the house snapping firmly tight, barricading everything from the outside in. Simultaneously the blinds on the windows also folded shut, plunging the living room into a sort of half-light, save the glow of the television set.

So that nobody would be able to see inside.

As three seconds of mind-blowing panic threatened to block out all rational thought, her breath caught in her throat and somehow wedged itself there, effectively choking out the scream that would have been released otherwise - not that it would have done any good, come to think of it. Heavens only knew what this Navi wanted - what if -

With a mass of willpower Haruka fought to regain control, and mainly prevent those thoughts from stretching any further and plunging her into another panic. No, now was not the time to be thinking about that - deep breaths - take in the situation -

Slowly but surely, the sheer terror began to melt away somewhat, though it did not abate completely, still leaving her immobile where she sat. She didn't really know why she felt quite this terrified - maybe it was something about the glare of the Navi currently inhabiting the widescreen - it was one of those unbearably profound glares, the kind with enough malice to combust an object, hypothetically speaking. Or maybe it could have also been the surprise value - it was not everyday, after all, that one settled down for a well-earned break from the household chores, flicked on the television, and was confronted with an ominous life-sized NetNavi wearing a tattered brown cloak and a black-and-gold headpiece bearing a large blue crest. Let alone to have such a spectacle be followed by the confirmation of being locked inside of your own home, with the blinds folded so that there would be no witnesses for…for whatever was going to happen…

Haruka unconsciously swallowed. And the Navi's eyes narrowed.

"Is this the Hikari residence?"

She found herself slightly startled by the voice, on top of everything else - it was younger than she had expected it to be.

And somehow, because of it, her own voice miraculously returned, albeit with rather shaky undertones.

"…What?"

"I inquired as to whether or not this is the Hikari residence, human. I will not repeat myself again." The edge in the voice was quite clear.

For a moment her thoughts sprang apart wildly, like a flock of birds disturbed by a loud noise. She was used to the occasional problematic virus, but by all means she'd never encountered anything quite like this. The very fact that this NetNavi had somehow gotten through the security systems - systems designed by Yuuichiro, no less - was one thing, and the fact that this perpetrator also seemed to have assumed complete control of every function of the house connected to the Net in some way made it all the more alarming.

With a pang she suddenly wished that Lan and MegaMan were here.

…Or maybe it was really for the better. After all, what was the worst this Navi could do?

As the air practically tensed in the presence of the Navi's clear, mounting irritation, Haruka scrambled to retrieve her composure and come up with some sort of decent answer. Timing was obviously going to be of essence here. At the very least she could deter this Navi, until some form of aid or solution presented itself.

"And why would you want to know that?" she managed at length, discarding the rest of her surprise with a moderate amount of difficulty and directing a challenging tone into her voice. Yuuichiro had once told her that she was quite formidable when in the act of reprimand. Hopefully he had not just been trying to flatter her.

Though she couldn't help but quail very slightly as the tangible irritation took on another swell, adding a new trickle of fear to the well already growing back, slowly but surely.

"It is not your business to ask the questions here, human."

…Never mind that, there was no room for fear now. This Navi obviously felt quite sure of itself. After all, she hadn't been talked back to like that since way back in her school days, and it had certainly never been this blatant.

"And I'm afraid that it's not your business to be intruding on this private network," she retorted haughtily. It felt so odd, trying to banter a malicious NetNavi out of the house's server. "If you would kindly leave this monitor at once and restore the house locks to their normal functions I would appreciate it, please. Unless you'd rather I call the authorities."

Though, unfortunately, her retort did not seem to have any affect whatsoever. On the contrary, the Navi's eyes only narrowed even more.

"All connections to the Net within this house have been sealed and barricaded. An attempt to notify these…'authorities' would be futile." The words were suddenly blunt, deadpan. "Though it was easier to turn the security functions against themselves, rather than completely destroying them. It is an unusually well-based network. Who was the individual who constructed it?"

Once again Haruka found herself caught off-guard by the sudden change of subject. All the same, she struggled to dance around a direct answer, somehow. This was becoming more of a spar of words than anything.

"It was a collateral project of my husband and son's," she retorted stiffly, still drawing strength from some sort of hidden reserve she hadn't even been aware of before.

"Indeed. And your husband goes by the title of Dr. Hikari, does he not?"

But how could he have possibly known that? …Who was this Navi?

The figure in the television seemed to read all the answers it needed from the resulting silence, as Haruka was temporarily rendered unable to construct an adequate reply to that without outright lying, which she was sure would be something the Navi would notice immediately. She was quite a terrible liar as it was.

"So then, if that is the case, you must be his wife." There was a note of smugness there. "Which means that this is, in fact, the Hikari residence."

Haruka bit her lip.

"…Who are you?" she said at length. No good beating around the bush now. This Navi clearly wasn't about to simply log out anytime soon. All of a sudden, she felt mortifyingly helpless. "And what do you want? You'll find no valuable data of any sort here."

The Navi gazed back at her, unblinking.

"My name is Bass. As to my current overall objective, it is my goal that I destroy the entirety of humanity." He seemed to take satisfaction in the way her eyes were widening. Haruka's grasp on the armrest tightened considerably. "…However, my purpose for arriving in this lowly network is slightly derived, and it most certainly does not pertain to something as trivial as data." And then, just as suddenly, his gaze intensified once again. It was like looking into a pair of blazing furnaces. "You are the woman who raised Lan Hikari, correct?"

Lan? But what did Lan possibly have to do with this? How in heaven's name did this Navi even know him?

Yet there was no point in denying it, as it appeared Bass had deduced as much already. Haruka sighed mentally in frustration.

"I - yes, that would be me."

"Then if that is the case, you must also know of the origins of the NetNavi he holds in his possession."

Haruka stared in surprise.

"What? MegaMan?"

She received the impression that the Navi's lip was curling, though it was impossible to tell - the brown cloak hid half his lower face from view.

"Yes. MegaMan." A pause. "What information do you possess that relates to this Navi?"

So this was what it was all about - a trip to gather information, it seemed. Haruka frowned as she attempted to piece the situation together. Somehow this Navi knew her son and his Navi - perhaps in a NetBattle of some sort or another. Presuming he had been defeated, or something to that equivalent effect, he was now scouting for ways in which he might finally defeat him in battle, perhaps to settle a score of revenge…

All of that was pure, panic-fueled speculation cooked up in the spur of the moment, of course. Though all the same, she couldn't help the fierce burst of pride that coursed through her.

That was her boy.

The best NetBattler around, as he'd proudly titled himself on many an occasion.

And it was mainly this prospect that fueled her courage some more.

"Pardon me," she retorted frostily, "but I don't see any reason to pass on information of any sort to the likes of you. Much less that of my own son's NetNavi. I'm quite sure Lan would agree if he were here, and his best interests are usually my own, if you would understand."

Bass didn't seem at all humbled, to Haruka's dismay.

On the contrary, there was a terrifying increase of the previous malevolence. The room practically went cold…or maybe it really was cold, come to think of it. She had no doubt that Bass probably had control of the heater and air conditioning, as well. Among other things…

It began to occur to her that her position in this situation might have in fact been a good deal more precarious as she'd first thought, as she suddenly realized with an unpleasant jolt. After all, everything was connected to the Net, these days. Everything…

"You would do well to remember that you happen to be completely at my mercy in this situation, human." It were almost as though this Navi…this Bass…had read her mind. If anything, there was a definite threat in his words. "And I require complete cooperation. If you fail to comply, there will be…consequences."

Haruka found that she'd really rather not be told as to what those 'consequences' might be - it sounded unpleasant enough as it was. And yet, despite the practical voice mentally screaming at her to be sensible and play it carefully, she found a secondary voice overriding that one, yelling defiance at a far more deafening volume. And so it was that the words were out of her mouth before she quite realized it.

"So be it then. Do your worst."

There was a pause. Bass continued to glare at her, malice still at its peak, though now it seemed slightly tinted with something else. Surprise?

"…You would truly rather perish a likely painful death -" here Haruka flinched involuntarily "- than simply answer my questions and spare yourself any further trouble?"

Though her heart all but quailed at that point, there still seemed to be some outer force guiding the words from her mouth, a force apparently connected to the rallying voice in her mentality.

"Yes, I do," she replied resolutely, while her mind flailed in confusion at this sudden abandon of personal well-being that she simply couldn't control. "I'll never betray my son - or MegaMan. And I most certainly wouldn't for you."

The silence seemed to stretch on infinitely. Haruka found herself mentally bracing for whatever would come next, her heart pounding wildly. Yet her head was strangely blank of all thought, all previous inner workings put on hold and throwing everything in a sort of stunned limbo. It were almost as if she were ready for anything, anything at all. That, and a sort of weird, almost giddy triumph. Though she honestly had no idea what there was to feel victorious about, what with some sort of unpleasant occurrence imminent.

An unpleasant occurrence that failed to…occur.

Bass simply stared at her some more for a time, expression unfathomable - and then he spoke, his voice once again blunt and blank, as it had been mere moments before.

"I see I was correct in assuming that you are indeed the woman who raised Hikari. The similarities are quite imminent." The last sentence carried an odd note - some kind of bemused sarcasm, barely detectable. And then there was a pause, though at length the Navi spoke again. "There are always other sources from which I can find what I seek, sources that would be far less troublesome to interrogate." Here he eyed her oddly. "…Consider yourself fortunate, human. Your foolish courage has piqued my interest, for a time. Perhaps it is an attribute that runs in the human bloodline. I shall observe some more from afar, perhaps." And at this point, Bass suddenly closed his eyes and turned away completely, the light of the screen intensifying at the same time, so that a blurry silhouette was all that Haruka could make out. "For now, you leave this household unscathed. But let me assure you, if I find it fit, you will not be so lucky ever again."

And the light intensified to a blinding flash.

This time Haruka really did scream as the television seemingly exploded, flying particles of glass streaking every which way. She barely had time to turn her face away.

There was a heavy silence shortly afterward, in which Haruka slowly opened her eyes again. At once a hand flew to her cheek - it stung, and she found that there was a tiny cut there, perhaps from a passing shard of glass.

It was only a few seconds later when she realized she was shaking uncontrollably.

It took her awhile to retrieve her bearings and control her heart rate somewhat, and even as Haruka cautiously peeled herself from the sofa, which was now cut and shredded in various places, her movements were very tense, and the tiniest sound made her jump. Taking in the state of the living room, she unconsciously noted the predicament of the carpet, which was littered with an uncountable amount of fine, sharp glitter, as well as the television set, where a hole had been blown through the screen, though the rest of the set did not seem damaged at all - it smoked a little, but there was no other indication of a threat of fire, to her relief.

Goodness only knew this would take days to clean up. And they'd need to purchase a new TV set.

Though Haruka got the feeling that she wouldn't be particularly eager to even touch a television remote of any sort without some trepidation for quite awhile, after this incident.

All that would have to wait for later, however.

For now, Haruka instead settled with very, very cautiously navigating her way back to the kitchen to reset the house controls, which were still on Lockdown, and reverse the security system back to its normal state…and then perhaps follow that up with a quick virus sweep, just to make sure nothing else was amiss.

And then, she supposed, a call to the Net Police would be very much in order.

Amid these various thoughts, it also occurred to her that she really needed to have a talk with Lan about his more recent NetBattling escapades.

Because really, these things were coming far too close to home for her liking.

Tick…tock…tick…tock…tick…tick…tock…tick…

The mug of coffee was very warm against her palms, and smelled quite nice, its aroma mingling with the simmering breakfast that awaited to be removed from the stove. Eyes closed, she listened to the rather feeble ticking of the kitchen clock, savoring the peaceful silence as it lasted.

It was an old clock, she reflected, a gift from her now-deceased grandmother on her first anniversary, which had in turn been passed down from her own mother, who had apparently bought it at a dollar shop on a whim. Carved from wood into the likeness of an apple and painted a bright, cheery red, it was also an authentic battery-run timepiece, old clockwork gears and all, quite out of place among the other timekeepers of the house, with their paper-thin plasma screens, the number clearly displayed in a digital format, as opposed to the bothersome work of figuring out the positions of two hands.

But, all the same, she was rather fond of the clock, and its own antique little way of working. Yuuichiro had been skeptical about its worth as a reliable, long-lasting device - after all, the label on it read that it had been manufactured around the year 2002 - but in the end it had exceeded all expectations, for not only had it remained accurate, but had not needed its battery changed for eleven years, and was still going strong. Sure, perhaps there was a weird hitch in the ticking upon occasion, but that still didn't derive from the effectiveness of the overall piece.

Tick…tock…tock…tock…tick…tock…

Eyes still closed, Haruka found herself mentally beginning to count the seconds. She took a sip of coffee. It tasted just as good as it had smelled.

Anytime, now. Anytime.

And, almost as though the fates had read her mind, the silence was abruptly broken.

"…in the e-mail, MegaMan?"

"Yup! Several, in fact. …They're all from your friends."

"Awesome! Looks like a day at the arcade is on, then!"

"…Uh, actually Lan, I don't really think that's going to be possible."

"Huh? Whad'you mean by that?"

"Well, according to all of these, Maylu has a special early-morning piano lesson to do and has to go shopping with her mom afterwards, Yai has to take a quick trip by jet to Ameroupe for some reason that she didn't explain, Tory says he has to help his dad on the job until around late afternoon at the earliest, Dex says that he's got…stuff…to do, and Chaud's got some sort of business meeting to attend to. Even Chisao's busy - it says here that he and Rush have gone off on some sort of…uh…all-day steak buffet spree, and probably won't be in any condition to hang out with anybody afterwards."

"Aw, come on, you've gotta be kidding me! Is there seriously nobody else available?"

"Well, hate to say it, but I don't think so, Lan. Guess it's just us two for a whole day."

"A whole day?! But that's half the weekend, wasted!"

"Eh…well, look on the bright side! At least now you have plenty of time to get your math homework done, right?"

"Somehow, MegaMan, I think we have different views on exactly what a 'bright side' is supposed to be…"

"Oh, c'mon, Lan, it's not like that homework's going to do itself. Better to finish it now than never. The earlier the better."

"Yeah, like rhyming is going to somehow convince me otherwise."

"What? …Hey, I wasn't even trying to rhyme! That's weird…"

"Whatever you say, MegaMan. Whatever you say…"

The source of the bantering could be heard from the stairs one room away, at first rather faint, but growing louder and louder as time ticked on. And so it was that, by the time Lan had finally trailed into the kitchen, PET in one hand, the other adjusting his bandanna until it was in just the right position, Haruka was already done with the coffee and at the counter, expertly flicking a slab of seasoned fried egg onto a plate with a jab of her spatula and somehow managing to execute a bright smile in her son's direction at the same time.

"Morning, Lan! Just in time for breakfast, too - thought I'd try my hand with a new recipe, and I do believe we have another winner. What we have here is known as an omelet. Care to try one? Or would you prefer toast today? If that's the case, I suppose I could always save one for your father…"

The miffed expression that had been clouding Lan's features all but vanished as the prospect of some food made itself imminent - as Haruka had known it would. It always did.

"An omelet? Sounds good!" he replied eagerly, graciously receiving the plate Haruka then handed him. "Mm…smells good, too! I'm sure this would beat toast any day!"

"Sure does look like it," MegaMan agreed from within the confines of the PET, still grasped in Lan's free hand, with the screen unintentionally tilted to give him a perfect view of this most recent culinary creation.

"Well, there's only one way to find out if it tastes good, now, is there?" Haruka implied, laughing slightly. She tipped a second omelet onto another plate and then turned off the burner, sticking the pan in the sink for later washing. She joined Lan, who was already digging into his breakfast at the table. Sitting beside him, there were a few more moments of silence as both sampled the newly-cooked omelet.

At length, Lan was the first to cast his judgment.

"Iss predy gud," he mumbled through a mouthful of egg, though fortunately he caught his mother's raised eyebrow and swallowed quickly before continuing. "Uh, I mean, it's pretty good. Got an awful lot of spices, though."

"Well, that's just the seasoning that gives the egg flavor, really." Haruka paused, now about a quarter through her own portion. "Without it, there would just be plain scrambled egg, you know. It's really quite delicious if a person takes time to taste all the different flavors."

MegaMan, who was now lying face-up on the table beside Lan's plate, laughed at this statement.

"I guess this is a lost cause for Lan, then. He eats so fast I doubt he'd ever stop to appreciate the flavor of something."

There was an indignant grunt from his NetOp as he struggled through another mouthful.

"Hey, take that back!"

"But it's true!"

"Yeah, well I can prove that it isn't! You just watch!"

To emphasize his point, Lan then deliberately cut off a large portion of omelet, leaving only about an eighth of it left on his plate, and put it in his mouth, chewing in an exaggeratingly slow fashion.

Haruka shook her head.

"Now now, you too, that'll be enough of that. MegaMan, you shouldn't chide Lan about those sort of things, much less at the table. And Lan, don't try and eat something that large again, please - you have big portions as it is, and that ridiculous expression on your face is not going to help your table manners any. Here, let me get some orange juice so you can drink it down."

Notwithstanding, Lan was clearly grateful for the glass of orange juice handed to him a few seconds later.

Thus the rest of breakfast passed without too much trouble, with Lan finishing first and hovering around the kitchen entrance while Haruka put up her own plate and drenched the load in the sink with some water. He was probably deliberating as to whether or not he should get his homework out, as MegaMan was currently plaintively suggesting.

Glancing at the fridge, Haruka noticed that she needed to pay a visit to the bank today, as had been written in its specific block on the small calendar pinned to the machine. Wiping her hands on a towel, she was just in time to catch Lan's dismayed expression as his resolution clearly began to crumble.

…Well, really, why not? She supposed he deserved a break, for now anyway.

Trying her best to suppress a smile, Haruka proceeded to wipe down the kitchen table.

"Lan, I need to run a quick trip to the bank," she called to him, before he succumbed to MegaMan's wishes and took a hike back upstairs to fetch his math. "It'll only take a few minutes, rest assured. I hear you're going to the arcade this morning, too?"

Indeed, Lan paused, though his expression remained no different.

"Well, no," he replied, shoulders clearly drooping at the reminder of that prospect. "We were going to, but everybody's busy now, so it's just MegaMan and me today."

"I see." Haruka straightened, then gave Lan a bright smile. "Well then, how about you come with me to the bank, and then maybe after that you can show me to the arcade?"

Needless to say, it took her son a few seconds to process this statement. And then his mouth dropped open slightly.

"…What?" He blinked. "But…mom, you've never been to the arcade before!"

"I know!" Haruka replied cheerfully. She rinsed out the towel and hung it on it's appropriate hook before turning to face Lan fully. "I've never been there, not once since I first moved here. I guess it's about time I take a look around, though, right? …Unless there's something wrong with that?"

"Oh…well, no, there's nothing wrong. …Nothing at all!" A look of elation was now slowly spreading across his features.

"Yeah, I think it'd be fun, actually," MegaMan agreed, now residing on Lan's belt. "You could show her the ropes of NetBattling and everything, Lan!"

"…Hey, you're right!" Now there was definite excitement on Lan's features as well. He punched a fist in the air. "Yes! Looks like homework will have to wait another day!"

Pretending to be a new receiver to this proclamation, Haruka raised her eyebrow again.

"Homework? Well, that'd be something worth doing today, I'm sure." And here Lan's posture wilted slightly. "…But it can wait until we get back form the arcade, I suppose."

Now full-out grinning, Lan punched his fist through the air again. "HA! See? Told you, MegaMan!"

"Lan, you never told me anything," MegaMan replied, exasperated.

"Yeah, well, that doesn't matter, because we're headed for the arcade after all!" He paraded towards the front door. "C'mon, mom, let's get going!"

"Of course, Lan, but…I believe we're forgetting something."

"Wha…? Ahh, man."

Haruka couldn't help but chuckle to herself as Lan then raced to the other side of the living room and up the steps to brush his teeth, MegaMan chiding him about forgetting along the way.

Ten minutes later, the house was empty, mother and son off to enjoy a Saturday together.

And silence reigned once more, save for the ticking of the old apple-clock in the kitchen.

It had been a damp, gray Tuesday that morning, fall making its sweeping entrance in an impressive flurry of heavy rain and winds. Thus these yearly weather anomalies hissed up and down the sidewalks, making people huddle deeper into their coats and turn their faces away. Despite this, however, it wasn't exactly cold yet, so to speak, though one could almost smell the season in the wet air, looming, looming…

It was around nine o'clock, and she knew that Lan would already be well into his first hour class. Humming quietly to herself, she finished wiping off the last of the morning's dishes, a small flower-patterned saucer that she set gently atop its appropriate stack in a nearby cabinet. Then she sighed, dusted her hands for no particular reason, and glanced at the clock mounted on the stretch of wall just above the sink.

Nine fifteen.

And she figured it was about time to get going.

Still humming softly, she set about doing one last preliminary sweep of the living room as she drifted to the hat stand and extricated her favorite coat from the mass of winter wear slung all over it. A good vacuuming would probably do the carpet some good, she mused, and the mantle could do with a dusting as well…and then there was this very hat stand to organize properly, and maybe a quick trip to the grocery on the way back to stock up for dinner…

Pulling on said coat and tugging the thick collar well around her neck, she salvaged a battered blue umbrella from the stand as well and then returned to the kitchen, looping her purse over one arm and shutting off the lights. Then she scooped up a small bundle of bluebells wrapped in a neat plastic cone of silver foil from the tabletop, nestling the flowers gently in the crook of the same arm carrying her purse, before taking up the house keys and heading for the front door.

She was greeted with a wet spray of rain as she stepped outside, turning once to lock the door behind her before clearing the three short steps leading to the sidewalk. Slipping the keys into her coat pocket, she took up her umbrella and opened with it a flourish, propping it on her shoulder and then starting off down the road through the misty rain at a brisk but easy stride.

It would be a fifteen-minute walk.

It always had been.

The cemetery was all but empty as she stepped through the archway, the area silent but for the hissing of the now steadily-falling rain. Starting up the well-tread center path, Haruka wove her way among the tombstones of various shapes, sizes, and grandeur, the absent lighthearted humming that had pursued her through the refreshing trek from the house dying away in her throat as a small sigh took its place and faded away. Solemnity began to guide her steps as she passed the epitomes of various passings, the flowers tucked in the corner of her elbow bobbing gently with her movements. The thick tapping of the rain against her umbrella filled her ears, a somewhat soothing rhythm that eased the tenseness that had been growing in her shoulders.

It was always so hard in the beginning, stepping into this place. And yet it was always about halfway through when her hiking nerves began to calm again, making her wonder why she had been she nervous in the first place.

Indeed, by the time she reached one particular insignificant corner of the cemetery, she was all but serene.

As it had always been.

She paused in front of the single gravestone that had been placed here, somehow slightly separated from everything else, but still somewhat easy to miss among all the others for its size. It was a very small thing, only about a foot tall, the words etched into its face written in a plain, unremarkable font. There was a small, bright green patch of grass beginning to grow at its base, escaped from the reaching blades of the daily lawnmower to grow taller and prosper, even now, in the downpour. Gazing at the single slab of dark granite, Haruka was quite still for a moment. And then she closed her eyes.

She could still remember him quite clearly - his head of soft brown hair, his wide, solemn eyes, the warm grasp of his small hand around her fingers. The way he and Lan had always seemed to cling together, reluctant to be parted even for a short period of time - when they had been smaller, why, one couldn't even put them in bed at separate times without both bursting into tears. And yet they had been so different, too, even back then, Lan always active and curious and loud, while his twin sibling had always been strangely quiet and shy and cautious in unfamiliar surroundings.

Twelve years was a long time, though it seemed they had done nothing to those memories. She knew somehow that no stretch of time ever would.

A mother never forgets things like that, after all.

And maybe that was why she always kept coming here, no matter what the weather or the consequence. Maybe that was why she always stood here, at exactly nine-thirty in the morning, on every fifth day of September, and left flowers behind.

Because, though she would never forget, she was…afraid all the same.

Afraid that she just might forget, that she just might miss it. This most important of all important days.

The day her son had died.

One year, the happiest year of her life, and at the same time, the saddest she knew she would ever have. One year, the span of time in which she had found absolute joy, and pride, and love, for her children, her husband, her family. One year to cherish.

One year had been all that she had been able to give him.

Some time passed - perhaps a few seconds, a few minutes, a few hours - she wouldn't have known, for such things never really mattered here. But, all the same, the patter of rain slowly began to fill her ears again, and she became aware of the world once more, for another whole day, another whole year. And Haruka opened her eyes, and freed the flowers from the crook of her arm.

Handling them gently, she set them at the foot of the grave and stood back, watching as the bluebells settled back down into place, and began to fill with rainwater, each droplet soon glittering and sparkling like priceless silver gems despite the lack of light from the sky.

With a small nod of approval, she smiled very softly to herself, and then turned away, starting back up the main path, heart lighter than it had been when she had entered.

They had never told Lan about the loss of his brother - Haruka had never had the heart to, and she knew Yuuichiro still felt great pain in the loss and had difficulty just speaking of it - and thus the information had yet to be passed on to any, save a few other individuals. Yet sometimes Haruka suspected that Lan somehow knew something had always been amiss, at times, if not in a subconscious sort of way…the way he had always seemed to be calling for someone in his sleep, when he had been younger, and an almost insignificant wistfulness years later that would sometimes pop up amid a daydream over his homework. Herself and her husband had always tried to fill that void, over time, though it had always seemed that there would be nothing to truly placate the faded memories that obviously still haunted their son.

Until MegaMan had come along, at least.

Indeed, Lan seemed…happier now, a happiness that went beyond just the normal joy of obtaining a satisfactory NetNavi.

It was really almost as if…

As if…

His twin brother had come back at last…

The rain puffed and scattered as she started back up the sidewalk, turning the handle of the umbrella between her fingers, and even as she began to tread in the direction of the nearest supermarket the downpour seemed to begin to abate, mellowing down to a fine silver sprinkle that drifted through the air in a swirling mist.

One year had been all that Haruka Hikari had been provided, to give one of her sons all the love and pride and care that she was capable of.

One year had been all that she could do.

And sometimes, no matter what her friends and family try to tell her, she knows, somehow, that one year simply hadn't been enough. That it could never be enough.

…And perhaps that is why she is willing to let MegaMan replace the son she lost, even if there could never possibly be anything equivalent to her little boy, with his wide, solemn gaze and his head of soft brown hair.

Because one year had never been enough, all along.

And despite the twelve years of love and pride and care that she had given to Lan, there was always still that one part that had never had a chance to be given away, and was still locked up inside her heart, warm and aching.

Maybe she was being foolish - that was always a possibility. Maybe she was just trying to ease the pain, even now, after all this time. For surely it was preposterous, to possibly consider a NetNavi worthy of such attention.

And yet…she didn't care.

Because Lan was happier now, happier than he had ever been before. Happy as if…his brother had come back again.

And if Lan was willing to accept MegaMan to fill the void, as he had no one else…

Then she would, too.

That said, Haruka somewhat increased the speed of her stride down the sidewalk, her thoughts wrapping for a moment around the resolution that had suddenly settled in her mind before abruptly flitting on to other things, such as the racking up of a mental list of the groceries she would need tonight, as well as the options available for dinner and the possibility of a quick phone call to Yuuichiro before Lan came home - the man had left his wallet on the bedside table once again, and she knew he'd need it sooner or later.

…Yes, spaghetti and meatballs sounded like a good idea, perhaps with some brownies on the side, for dessert.

And a cheerful, lilting melody could be discerned by passerby as a certain woman bearing a battered blue umbrella almost absently struck up a humming tune.

A/N: Well…there we go.

Though it is rather format-unstable and probably awkward in some areas, I'm proud of this thing, by gosh. :\ Took me a solid week to write all of it, and I'm actually happy about the way it came out for the most part, which is definitely an uncommon occurrence, so there. :D

…Meh, yes, I know the Bass one is very unlikely, but it came to me and wouldn't leave me alone. =_= I only hope that he was at least moderately in-character…along with everybody else, for that matter. Aheh. It's been years since I've gotten back into this series, so…

Ah, and I suppose Snippet number five could use some explanation…

-SPOILER FOR GAMEVERSE-

Yes, yes, I understand that the concept of Lan having a twin brother is only confirmed in the games, but it's not exactly like they denied it in the animation, right?? This is basically just me going on a limb and making an assumption, and though it is most probably wrong, I just had to write about it all the same. And yes, the theory of the origins of MegaMan because of this concept remain as well, to hang up some irony for ya. ;)

Of course, if I'm wrong, I'm always open for somebody to tell me so and explain. :) Like I said, it's been awhile since I've properly took part in this series, and I'm most certainly prone to missing key factors.

-SPOILER END-

This would be my first fic to be submitted into this branch of fanfiction, I do believe. :O Hope it came out as satisfactory. Predictably, reviews are very welcome.

And thank you, D R A G O N L I L I E S, for taking the time to look over an excerpt of this oneshot, if you happen to be reading this. Words cannot illustrate how much your feedback has helped to motivate me to finish this project. 8D